#see its funny becau

[samthecookielord]

Chat should i start tagging my clive aus as clive dove again

[waxn-wane]

Sebastian and "Human Marriage"

Reading @mister-astringent's amazing oneshot again, rn I'm laughing, and my mind ran away with me. I was thinking about Sebastian having urges to eat Ciel's soul but preventing himself because there will come a proper time.

And I joked to myself "he's waiting until marriage", then I started cackling jfhfjdj

Now I'm giggling and kicking my feet about Sebastian thinking of "marriage" in his fleeting thoughts. It's so fun to think about this.

(I saw this on twitter, I'm gonna link it when I find it again)

I think it's really cute... Sebastian imagining "human marriage". Half of it is genuine and the other half feels like playing a game, playing house. A silly indulgent daydream that inadvertently got out of hand.

It's funny to think of Sebastian going like "we're human-married" as a bit, and Ciel doesn't even know.

He likes the Ceremony of things, it seems. I imagine he'd enjoy thinking about an imaginary wedding while he works. Picking out roses and making mental bouquet arrangements. "Ah yes, this would be most suitable for the Young Master". Venues and color schemes, the perfect catering service, the guests' dresscode. It's something entertaining to idly think about.

However, this imaginary wedding has gotten so detailed and out of hand, you could fill an entire booklet of specifications he's thought up in his free time.

Maybe this little daydream seeps into reality little by little, in the form of him dressing them up like this lmao

(Love how they're always matching in these official arts)

Another thing that makes Sebastian wanting to "marry" Ciel kind of cute is that 👉👈 Marriage seems to be a foreign concept to demons. It promises an eternal and unwavering bond, but in the grand scheme of things it is not binding in a way that is absolute, not in a way a demon respects. No bond is more binding or trustworthy than a contract, after all. Marriage holds no candle.

And yet... Sebastian thinking of this, marriage to his master, even as a thought or fantasy... I think it's really cute because it reminds me of a young person's concept of marriage. Someone new to love and exploring its concepts for the first time, maybe even looking up popular traditions and thinking/studying about them in his free time. Trying to understand its appeal and relating it to what he already knows to be the ultimate form of Union.

The difference between the binding of a marriage and a contract is that the only real tether between two people in a marriage is their own will. It is their own choice to stay tethered. Somehow, in this light, it becomes even more meaningful than the absolute union of a Demonic Contract. And so Sebastian dreams.

Since essentially, Seb is New to these concepts, or New to thinking about them, it's almost "innocent"..? There's a gap moe for an otherworldly being playing house out of their fascination and attachment to this one human that they, at first, weren't privy to being attached to.

And I could see Sebastian treating this as fact, cheekily, like it's an inside joke only he knows. That he's essentially "contractually married" to his Master. (Although that is NOT how demonic contracts work. It's something nice for him to think about. Leave him alone, he's romanticizing his own contract)

He'd huff to himself silently, chuckling, a fist to his mouth using the term "the old Ball and Chain" in reference to his Master. "My other half/worse-off half" etc.

And we know that Goshijin-sama means Master. Sebastian calls Ciel this sometimes. But it also means "husband". I like to think about him testing it out in his mind, the shape of it on his tongue. (Although, "bocchan" rolls off so easily, its an eternally precious term and he'd rather keep using that term instead)

(on a related note, narratively, marriage usually means the most exciting part of a ship is over, because all their issues are usually resolved at this point in the story, but sbcl "marriage" doesn't sound like It's Over. Probably because they already have a binding contract like "marriage", and still they have interesting character development and issues.)

Anyway I think I like it when Sebastian likes such small and simple things. Things you wouldn't think a beast would like.

He likes his master's cheeks,

he likes his hair,

he thinks he's beautiful,

he likes holding his hand,

he likes cooking good meals because he wants to see the Young Master smile etc.

And I think it's very in-line with Ciel's in-universe mischaracterization of Sebastian, for him to enjoy something as human as the finite fantasy of Marriage. He finds beauty in things that have An End after all, in laughably impossible promises, in things that are fleeting. And it would just be an added bonus: the materialization of the thread (the chain) that connects them in this way, seals akin to engagement rings.

It'll never happen, of course. So what's the harm in daydreaming?

[acoraxia]

What are your thoughts on shadowpeach?

Fandom wise? I do not care for it.

Canon wise? I believe in men committing crimes while forming the most toxic, unhealthy attachments to one person could lead to such a dysfunctional relationship that it, eventually, turns into a functional one. And also they’re trans and aspec.

Disclaimer: this is all my opinion and people can do whatever they want, i simply have my gripes with some of the fandom stuff. this is just me explaining what i like and dislike about shadowpeach.

I think the most common thing people fall into when it comes to ships—or shipping in general—is how to domesticate these two characters without fully addressing their flaws, personalities, behavior, and their overall choices throughout the original media/show they come from. 

Macaque and SWK both suffer equally through this mischaracterization: Macaque is often painted as this shy or “edgy” character with little to no ties to his actual character in canon and, more often than not, he is perceived as this “dad” type of character when, in fact, he should not be allowed near children for I fear he will bully them nonstop until they sit there in the corner feeling disheartened and miserable about themselves; Sun Wukong is often portrayed as this dumb himbo with little-to-no means of understanding social cues, not understanding emotions in a way that’s very frustrating, and be this yearning, pining idiot who’s still longing for his childhood crush when he did not hesitate to punch this guy in the face multiple times throughout the show. So when they are paired up together it’s this weird mash of people believing Macaque is the better dad with more understanding of human behavior and Wukong is his dumb, doting husband who’s doing his best and cannot stand up for himself when confronted about things.

The amount of times people choose to make Macaque sympathetic by having Sun Wukong’s family side with Macaque when it comes to Wukong’s actions/choices is so vast I could not count them all on one hand. The common trope of having Princess Iron Fan (Sun Wukong’s sister-in-law) become Macaque’s sworn sister is so disheartening to see for someone who read through Journey To The West and thought of how silly the overall family dynamic of the Demon Bull Family and Sun Wukong’s troops was. Removing Iron Fan as Sun Wukong’s literal sister just to have someone backup Macaque and sympathize with him is funny and a bit silly. 

That being said… the canon version of Shadowpeach and its possibilities are, in fact, very delicious.

Canon wise this is what we know about Sun Wukong and Macaque’s history together: 

Sun Wukong and Macaque meet

The brotherhood is formed after Azure meets Sun Wukong, Macaque tags along with Wukong (note: Macaque is not addressed as “brother” by the characters, only Wukong is)

Macaque tries to warn Wukong about how dealing with Heaven might be a bad idea

They share a peach under a tree; Wukong reassures Macaque this plan will work

Wukong carries on with Azure’s plan anyway (yes, azure lion’s plan, not wukong’s)

The brotherhood is defeated and Wukong gets trapped under a mountain

Presumably no one comes to visit Wukong, only Macaque

During his final visit, Wukong is angry that Macaque is free and can’t see the fact that Wukong was trying to do everything for them and his kingdom

Macaque snaps back at Wukong and calls him an obsessive demon before leaving

They have another fallout and fight

Wukong ends up killing Macaque in the aftermath

500~ years later, Macaque and Wukong fight again with Wukong being more apathetic towards their reunion than Macaque is

Macaque obsesses over Wukong continuously (coughs)

Macaque is biased in his retellings of his and Wukong’s relationship (see: all of shadowplay and the scrolls memories)

They fight (again) throughout S3

They somewhat reconcile by the end of S4

We will address the fact Sun Wukong was groomed into going to war by this former celestial warrior instead of having it be because of his own want to protect his family and friends after Heaven refused to pay him the respect he wanted when he first joined their ranks later. Right now we focus on the fact that Sun Wukong is canonically a person people easily fall in love with (platonically) and have a tendency to want to stay close to regardless of what his future actions will be like and Macaque is sequentially obsessed with him throughout the show.

“The hero and the warrior were like the Sun and the Moon. Their light, a protective glow, shining upon the world. Together, there was nothing that could stop the two of them. Either in the Celestial Realms or on Earth. As time went on, the hero attained power beyond comprehension. As the hero's light grew, so too did his shadow. And soon, the warrior was cast in that shadow. In the darkness, the warrior was forgotten by the hero.”

Fun fact: Macaque is never going to be on par with Sun Wukong’s power and he works best as support than he does a duo-attacker along side Wukong. Wukong is on his own power level and Macaque, while being able of holding his own against enemies, could be stomped to death by Xiaoijiao is he crossed the line.

Macaque’s obsession with Sun Wukong comes from the inability to move on from the past; Macaque wanting things to go back as they were is a subtle theme going through the show — he keeps latching on to biased memories and avoiding the actual problems that caused their relationship to fall apart and it isn’t until Season 3’s big confrontation with Long Xiaojiao’s Samadhi Fire ritual. He realizes he abandoned Wukong during a time of need and proceeds to flee, abandoning him again. 

Macaque has issues. More often than not people call out on Sun Wukong for abandoning Xiaotian or the Monkie Kid Crew all while ignoring the fact Sun Wukong does not purposefully leave Qi Xiaotian, he tries his hardest to make it back in time and is visibly scared/horrified when LBD attacks in his absence. Sun Wukong tries his hardest to comfort Xiaotian while Macaque tries to torment him. 

Regardless, Sun Wukong and Macaque’s relationship is unique to most media’s portrayal of friends turned enemies. Because Wukong does not see Macaque as a threat up until he teams up with Lady Bone Demon — he is only scary by association, not by anything he has done up until that point. You can tell with the way Wukong mocks him and calls him something akin to a puppet during their interaction in Season 3 when Macaque trapped him and Nezha in the ice. 

And even then Macaque doesn’t even bother trying to engage with Wukong in a friendly manner because kindness is for losers HA i’m not apologizing for anything, bye Sun Wukong, you big old LOSER [proceeds to possibly live on the streets and stay homeless until wukong allows him to return to ffm under certain house rules]

You’ll notice that Sun Wukong barely has any opinions on Macaque.

This is because Macaque is favored by the narrative more than Sun Wukong is so we have very little context as to how Sun Wukong genuinely feels towards Macaque. 

Sun Wukong sees Macaque as an annoyance, a bother, a threat, a coward, an imposter and then, finally, an ally. 

But all we get from that is Wukong handing Macaque a peach-flavored ice cream pop as a parallel to him sharing a peach with his old friend back when they were young monkeys before he was trapped under a mountain for 500 years as a result of his abuser’s power hold on him that forced him to fight heaven as a way to “make the world a better place”. 

We love to see it.

Macaque and Wukong’s relationship goes from mutual interest and a supportive friendship established years prior to the original building of the brotherhood to a very weird, uncategorized type of dynamic. The only way to characterize Sun Wukong’s “affection” towards Macaque is, possibly, the same way most people would characterize Macaque to be towards Wukong. Y’know the slightly judgmental actions and eye rolls and scoffs of affection most people write about Macaque when Wukong does something stupid? Yeah.

“But Macaque said “this guy” when Wukong was presenting his plan to defeat Azure—“ yeah have you considered Wukong does a lot of masking in the presence of the entire Monkie Kid Crew and Macaque has a tendency to present himself as this cool persona when in fact he’s just a homeless monkey who’s been crashing on his ex’s couch for the past weeks since the ending of Season 3? 

“OK…. but why QPR Shadowpeach?”

Sun Wukong throughout the course of Journey to the West and all its past and future iterations have always had him be uninterested in both men and women. There are multiple instances where he’s capable of courting women and he instead backs away or does not pay it any mind; aside from this he’s heavily implied to only care about familial love and friendships. He does not see his pilgrim brothers as anything more than family and he views Tripitaka as a mentor rather than someone whom he was chained to. And Azure was his idol and he was groomed by him, and everyone else was viewed to him as a troop — or, y’know, a family.

This and the fact that— both Sun Wukong and Macaque are over a thousand years old. Why on earth would they have a normal type of relationship? Giving them a checklist of what passes on as romantic and platonic when to them the line is so blurred it’s barely existent to them is amusing. 

Sun Wukong and Macaque having their own weird relationship where it changes from frustrated best friends to partners to angry middle aged demons to the tired traumatized immortals who sometimes cuddle while still beating each other up is so deliciously interesting and unhealthy to the point where it is healthy. 

Also Celestial bodies are not the same as mortal bodies; canonically Sun Wukong has transformed into women before and people have addressed him with female-leaning pronouns before. my personal headcanon of sun wukong being genderfluid lves on and now we can have sapphic shadowpeach with transfem macaque.

also im still feverish so if this doesnt make sense then too bad damn im sorry

[polaritydisturbed]

Sometimes, in particularly long showers, I start overthinking things like how, in New Who, the Doctor’s choice of companions transitioned from being about who they were as individuals to being about what was happening around them. If you look at the early companions, there’s something distinctly personal about why the Doctor chooses them. More importantly, there’s something deeply personal about how the Doctor sees them. They aren’t just people caught in the Doctor’s orbit—they’re remarkable in ways that make the Doctor take notice.

Take Rose, for instance. The Ninth Doctor doesn’t just ask her to come with them because she’s some random person in their path. Rose is witty, bold, and incredibly brave. She stands up to the living plastic, fights through everything, and she’s not just an innocent bystander—she actively chooses to help. She’s not just along for the ride; she’s their equal in moments of wonder and devastation. The Doctor doesn’t just treat her like an audience member to their brilliance—they see her. One of the most striking moments in The End of the World is when they look at her in awe and say, “You think it’ll last forever. People and cars and concrete. But it won’t. One day, it’s all gone.” And she gets it. And in that moment, you can see how much that means to them.

Same goes for Martha. She keeps her head when they’re suddenly on the moon, she doesn’t break down, and the Doctor immediately respects that. She impresses them. This woman takes on the responsibility of saving them when they’re in danger, even when she’s just a regular human. And she spends a year walking the Earth, spreading the legend of the Doctor. But what’s even more important is that she chooses to walk away. And the Doctor doesn’t just let her—they admire her for it. That moment of recognition, of understanding that Martha is too good to be treated as second best, is what makes her incredible.

And then there’s Donna, whose first appearance is her calling out the Doctor when they’re about to cross a line. She doesn’t just follow blindly—she challenges them, and in doing so, forces them to grow. In her second appearance, Donna is actively seeking out weirdness and solving mysteries on her own. Her foresight in grabbing that second necklace ended up saving the day—she’s a partner, not just a passenger. She doesn’t just react to the Doctor’s choices; she affects them. She’s not just funny or clever—she’s the Doctor’s moral compass at times, and they’re better for having her around.

That’s the crux of it. All these companions were interesting and vital because they were more than just people who stood next to the Doctor—they were active participants in the adventure. They saved the day, not because of their proximity to the Doctor, but because of who they were and what they did. They were integral to the plot, to the Doctor’s character development, to the story itself.

But then we hit the Eleventh Doctor, and suddenly, it feels like the rules change. I’m starting my rewatch, and Amy Pond is, well, she’s a bit of a departure. Don’t get me wrong, I love Amy—she’s spunky, sassy, and will prove herself to be important, but when you really break down her introduction, it’s hard to ignore the fact that, if you removed her from The Eleventh Hour… not much changes. She’s a plot device more than a character, at least in that first episode. It’s not that Amy isn’t interesting—she is, but she’s interesting because of the crack in her wall. That’s literally the reason the Doctor takes her with them. It’s the mystery, not her as a person, that draws them in.

Funnily enough, Rory being missing from The Eleventh Hour would affect the plot more than Amy being gone. It could have been a crack in anyone’s wall, but Rory noticed that the coma patients were out and about when they shouldn’t be. And because he is noticing it, the Doctor is able to pinpoint where Prisoner Zero is getting its mental link from.

The Doctor’s companions before Amy were fascinating because of who they were as individuals—Rose, with her heart and strength; Martha, with her intelligence and bravery; Donna, with her humor and sense of justice. Each of them was chosen because they added something to the Doctor’s world, both in terms of their actions and how they changed them. Amy, though? She’s picked primarily because of the crack in her wall—a plot point, a mystery, not because she’s particularly compelling as a character at first. And don’t get me wrong, Amy becomes incredibly important later on, and she has fantastic character arcs, but in that first episode, it’s not her character that matters, it’s the mystery of her.

It’s not that mystery-driven companions are bad—Rose had Bad Wolf and Donna had fate/metacrisis, but those things were developed once the companions were already on board the TARDIS. It wasn’t why the Doctor chose them in the first place. The cracks in Amy’s wall, the Impossible Girl, and all the other companion mysteries we get later are intriguing, sure, but they feel like plot points first and characters second.

And, honestly, I think that shift continues through the later Doctors. Clara is fascinating for what she is, the Impossible Girl, who keeps popping up in random places across time. But her importance is often framed around the mystery of why she’s there, rather than who she actually is. Bill Potts is the first real return to form, someone whose story and personality are more grounded in who she is as an individual, rather than some bigger cosmic mystery. She’s a person first, and everything else comes second. And then there’s The Fam with Thirteen, who… well, they kinda just get kidnapped. I get that it’s a nod to the Doctor’s early companions, who were just yanked from their lives with no real warning or say in the matter. But honestly, if I got kidnapped by some ancient alien, I would be furious. There’s no real agency in the Doctor’s choices here, and it makes their entire dynamic feel a little off, as though the Doctor is picking up random people with no real rhyme or reason.

And then we get to Ruby Sunday, who just sort of decides to go with the Doctor. And, fair enough, the Doctor doesn’t stop her. But that’s the issue, isn’t it? There’s no real reason for Ruby to go with the Doctor other than “it’s convenient for the plot.” She just kinda gets swept along. There’s no real justification for why she’s picked or what makes her stand out from anyone else. In a way, it almost feels like the Doctor is collecting companions like Pokémon now.

And based on what we’ve seen in the trailer, Varada Sethu’s character seems to be following this same trend. There’s no clear indication that she’s chosen because of her character, her actions, or anything that makes her uniquely suited to traveling with the Doctor. Instead, it looks like she’s being swept up into events, her presence dictated by the narrative rather than by any compelling personal choice. And at this point, it’s a pattern—companions aren’t traveling with the Doctor because of who they are, but because of what’s happening to them at the time. They’re there because the plot needs them to be, not because the Doctor sees something in them that makes them worthy of their admiration.

That said, I really hope the upcoming season changes this, even just a little. We already know RTD can write phenomenal companion dynamics, and with Ruby’s past being such a big focus, there’s a chance that the show could move back toward character-driven motivations rather than just plot convenience. If Varada Sethu’s character gets a compelling, personal reason to travel with the Doctor, that could signal a shift back to a more thoughtful approach to companion selection. Fingers crossed.

[sparrow-ceiling]

SIR PENTIOUS POST

OK I LITERALLY LOVE HIM SO MUCH And I know I already talked about his costume in the final battle bit its literally so in character for him he's SUCH a goofy man of course he would dress up like that. Also he had an ABSOLUTELY CINEMATIC kiss with Cherri they would have been so good together UGH. I'm gonna miss this goofy little snake man so much AA

AND HIS HEAVEN DESIGN! Look at him UGH. He's SO OUT OF HIS DEPTH ITS FUNNY. But look at him though!! He's changed!! Man learned to love like it was second nature to him ((which is fucking sad becaus he was forced by society into his fucked up overlord-killing-poeple positin when really he's just a sweet little guy.)) AND YOU CAN SEE HOW HE CHANGED IN HIS DESIGN TOO!! Not onlyd oes he have a different color palete, the halo, etc, but man is COVERED IN HEARTS!!. The little goggles on his hat are hearts, his bowtie is a heart, if you look at the back of his hair/frill thingy, you can see that has hearts on it too. (plus the lip marks on the edge of the frill on the front-- it's Cherri :))) he loved his friends so much it changed him physically and now he's in a place where he can really be a LOVING PERSON IM NOT OK GUYS.

He's Charlie's trial run in heaven and HES GONNA DO SO FUCKING GOOD UGH. I love him sm. AOUSUDFGJ.

[elmodoescrimes]

LADS LADDETTES AND BAGUETTES

I present to you my blood, sweat and tears (5 minutes worth of effort)

MARAUDERS AS VERY SPECIFIC DESCRIPTIONS

Jam Jim: Warm sunlight in the golden hours of the evening, laying in some grass with the beach right next to you, with your friends around you.

Pete MYBOYYY: Summer nights when you run out of milk for your pancakes and put beer in as a joke to fuck with your friends (who are at your house for dinner because they can't cook for shit) and it turns out the beer pancakes are very tasty.

Sirsilus: Walking around in a crowded city at night, drunk, with friends, pub diving and smoking. Drinking all the weird-ass mixtures your friends have made from the drinks they have had, and stealing the cups from bars.

Remulus: When your in bed in autumn and its jsut perfectly comfortable and theres music and your comfort tv show and your reading a really good book. and you have cookies and a bottle of milk.

Wet Cat: When your camping and you look up at the sky and it's that feeling of "holy shit look at those fucking stars". That awe and excitement and admiration.

Lilith Queen Of Girlbossing: When you join a new group and you feel like you just click. you fit in. you've just met these people but you would go through hell as many times as it takes for them.

MArle: Inside of a music store and you've just picked up a guitar and started playing cherry bomb and your friends start joining the vocals and then the cool ass looking receptionist (?) gives you a free pick and now you have a new friend. also when you take a bite out of lip balm.

Maeri: When you put on some clothes and makeup and shit and you glance in the mirror and have to do a double take cuz you look so sexy your shocked its even the same person, so you go out looking like that and end up babysitting some cousin who you chaperone shopping and who goes "can you help me becaus i love your look rn and i want it".

dORCA: When you just delivered the most cut-throat, slay queen, diva-ass comeback to ever exist and that fucker just fucking retreats like a fucking pussy cuz there aint no way this bitch is recovering from that fucking burn.

bhaRrY jr: Running from the cops and loud concerts and clubbing and split lips and black eyes and "fuck you dad's" and being too much in just the most perfect fucking way and stick and poke tattoos and peircings done by your best friend using a fork.

BitchWhoSHouldMarryLily (bc Evan Evans is just too funny not to): Sprinting through alleyways and aross rooftops in the dead of night under a starless sky illuminated only by streetlights cuz you jsut stole something and hah. skater boy energy but also that feeling that something is just slightly to the left of what it should be and you kinda wanna tear the flesh of your bones to see what it feels like.

FAIRY LADY!!!: The beach in the early hours of the morning with a pinkish sunrise just as you leave the forest that the beach comes off of and HOLY SHIT IS THAT A SHARK IM GONNA GO SAY HII!!! and spinning around in the crystal clear water and looking at the corals and pretty fishes and braiding flowers into your friend's hair.

Xenodrugdealerwho'snameicantspell: Science class when you do the really fun experiments and you just got put with your best friend and AHHHHHyesssssssss! and also afterparties and getting drunk and doing dumb shit.

i would do more but also like... ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh my hand ):

[synthetickitsune]

A Prince and His Flower ✧ k.sy

Pairing: Prince!Hoshi x reader Genre: fluff, royalty au/arranged marriage au Summary: You know that love is something to be overlooked for the sake of politics, but maybe you wish your upcoming marriage with Soonyoung was more than a practical affair. You try not to get your hopes up, not very successfully, but who could blame you when the prince seems as smitten with you as you are with him? Word count: 2k A/N: based on this imagine by @imagine-svt; I'm still not happy about how this turned out but I've already rewritten and edited this twice and I just love the idea so much and I've tried ㅠㅠ

It was arguably pretty random when Soonyoung asked you, hours earlier - and in hindsight it seems important to stress it was also only hours before the ball - about your favorite flower.

It was cute too. The way he tried to be nonchalant, but his cheeks soon had that pinkish tint to them as he went through the small talk he wrapped the question in. His hum was thoughtful, nod slow, as he took in your answer. It was… strange.  

Then again, Soonyoung is like that sometimes. You’ve learned it’s better to just humor him. He’s too stubborn and when he starts pouting, your heart and your will get too weak to resist him. It’s unfair. Honestly, you don’t understand how the future king can be so lovable and carefree when he’s chatting with you and yet so unyielding and wise during diplomatic meetings. How are you supposed to stay rational and unaffected when faced with that?

Sometimes you wonder if he had a say in choosing his future partner. He isn’t the type to let others dictate what his life is going to be like - well, at least not all of its aspects. Being a crown prince, his hands are pretty much tied. Of course he can’t live his life as he wants to, but from all that he’s told you, he doesn’t seem to mind the responsibility, and is preparing for his future role dutifully. At the same time, instead of horse riding and shooting ducks and whatnot, he demanded to learn how to dance. You found the idea ridiculous when you first heard about it - or rather the image of young Soonyoung stomping his feet and demanding his father, the king, to allow him to learn dance was too funny in your head. Months and many occasions of actually seeing him dance later, you have to say it was the best decision the king has ever made to let his son pursue his passion instead of forcing the traditional hobbies ‘fit for a king’ onto him. Not that he could avoid them completely, but they didn’t make up his entire personality - as was the case with some of the other princes you’ve met throughout your life.

So maybe it’s not all that impossible that he’d be the one to choose you as his future partner… right? 

You really have no idea why you keep hurting yourself thinking about it. It doesn’t matter, after all. One way or another, that’s how it is. Besides, your future marriage was decided long before you actually met. So even if it was him who suggested it, the reason behind it wouldn’t be the great chemistry you have now, or how easily you can communicate and make each other laugh, or how teasing and bickering come to you as naturally as supporting and comforting one another. None of that was true back then - you were strangers, barely even aware of each other’s existence. The reason for your marriage was, naturally, political. And that would remain to be true regardless of who came up with it. 

Maybe you just wished your life and marriage was different from breeding horses and dogs. Just something practical, meant to be efficient and to serve a purpose, to produce certain results.

Maybe you just wished there was more to it. Fate, perhaps, or something like love at first sight.

It was easy to fall in love with Soonyoung. Too easy. And it’s impossible to ignore those feelings - or to hide them you’re sure, even if you hope for the contrary. Again, you shouldn’t be blamed since you can’t help it. You love him. You just don’t want to. Because you can’t be sure it’s not all just your mind trying to protect itself - that’s what you tell yourself, despite knowing it’s more of a question whether he feels something towards you too. 

Of course, you’re the one who witnessed firsthand the growth of your relationship. You’ve seen it all - from the initial polite curiosity, to the genuine curiosity, to the fond and, you’d like to believe, loving gaze he wears whenever he looks at you. The one that makes your heart race. Soonyoung's feelings towards you are obviously warm. Maybe you'd be willing to believe he feels the same as you do, that he's just as in denial and protection mode as you are, if only you were thinking rationally.

But you're far from rationally thinking, stuck on the hurtful fact that no one takes your feelings seriously. That had the marriage not been arranged and were you feeling the same, and if they were mutual, nobody would care.

Sometimes you wish you were only mere commoners, allowed to fall in love and marry and not care about the impact your actions will have. Then you could have the marriage you wish for, based on mutual respect and love. One where he would watch you with those eyes of his, so full of love it’s suffocating.

He’s watching you now, with those loving eyes, from where he stands on the opposite side of the ball room. It’s too far to actually see him and the details on his face, but you’ve seen the way he looks at you more than enough times to know. You’re so stupid to be imagining it.

And he’s so stupid too. Watching you instead of paying attention to his advisors that are no doubt telling him how the ball will proceed or the introductions being made. Yet you still blush, your heart fluttering. You could almost imagine that your marriage is more than just a deal.

People often tell you that you sabotage your own happiness, and you wonder whether they’re right.

Because even though he’s looking at you like he can’t see anyone else, all you think about is how this could all be just a play he puts on. A lie you don’t even believe in yourself, but you try.

Because even as Soonyoung walks towards you, and you see the flower in his pocket and recognize it as your favorite, you focus on the logistics - the flower is native to your kingdom, hours away, there’s no way anything could be done to get it here in time - rather than the flower as a gesture. You have to, because if you don’t you might start believing it’s a sign of more than just an observance of formalities. 

“May I have this dance?” the prince smiles, offering you his hand. You accept, of course, and you try not to shiver at the perfect feeling of your hand in his. 

He guides you through the steps with practiced ease. You know he loves to dance and that he's a much better dancer than you. He’s a perfectionist, you remind yourself, and he must be annoyed with the mistakes you make and that’s why he holds you so tight, why he presses your bodies together any chance he gets. Anyone would be lucky to dance with him. He could make anyone look like they possess skills on par with his.

You avoid his eyes even though you feel his gaze on you. Instead your eyes remain glued to the flower. It reminds you of home, of your childhood and time long ago when you weren’t in love with a prince who’s all you could wish for. Is a genuinely love-filled marriage too much to ask for?

“It’s really pretty,” the prince says and it startles you enough that your eyes meet his. He noticeably perks up and you curse yourself. That tiny smile he wears is too adorable not to fall for. “I was thinking we could use them for our wedding too.”

Your steps falter, but he’s quick to adjust to it, making the mistake seem natural. 

“Is something wrong? You’ve been distant today,” he lowers his head and his voice, close enough that you could forget the world if you allowed yourself the luxury.

“Nothing’s wrong,” you tell him curtly. The wedding… It’d be beautiful, and you can’t say that you weren’t thinking that the flowers of your kingdom would be perfect. Maybe that’s why it hurts more. It doesn’t feel right planning a wedding with someone who’s just the perfect match in the current socio-political context.

“Look, I know everyone keeps staring at me,” he sighs, and it surprises you again. Now that you look around, you see that he’s right. Every man and woman is looking at Soonyoung, and despite your better judgment you use the next twirl to move closer to him. You see him biting his lip to start smiling and it’s not good for your heart. “I know, but I really tried to make them see I’m yours.”

Definitely not good for your heart. Your head spins and you blame it on the dancing.

“How did you get the flowers here?” you ask instead, try to deflect before you start overthinking. But he starts blushing and it’s just as lethal. He’s so nervous it’s you who has to correct him this time.

“I… I actually arranged for them to be grown here, in the greenhouses behind the castle,” he says and winces at your expression, “I’m sorry! I just wanted you to feel more at home here, and these were the only ones I remembered from my trip to your kingdom.”

Something about your shock must be registering in his brain as anger because he keeps whispering apologies and explanations and god, your friends were right, weren’t they? This isn’t something you do just to seem like the perfect husband in the eyes of the people of your partner’s kingdom.

“I wanted to propose to you with them. I thought it’d show I accept our differences - and I know it’s stupid, okay? I just wanted to do something romantic,” he deflates a little, but it matches the music, completely natural and inconspicuous to the onlookers. You think your heart is going to burst. You’re so stupid. He’s so stupid. “I know you’re not marrying me because you want to, but I really like you, and I want to grow old with you… even if you only like me as a-”

“Why didn’t you say something?” you hiss, and alright, you might be a little angry, or maybe it’s just the adrenaline, “God, Soonyoung, why didn’t you say you like me? I thought you only saw this as a business.” He looks as bewildered as you feel. 

“I thought it was obvious!” he whisper-shouts. It’s fortunate that you’re a little bit away from the other couples and the people standing around the room. “Do you think I’d sneak out for anyone else? Or give them private dance lessons? Or grow flowers for them - and don’t even get me started on that! That was the hardest thing I’ve ever done!”

“What are you talking about?” you try to mind your volume, you really do, “You got people for that!”

“Yeah, but that wouldn’t be right!” he argues right back and you’re really bringing too much attention to yourselves, “That wouldn’t be romantic at all! I wanted to do this for you and-”

You swear you’re not one to break the decorum. 

You never act in any way that could tarnish your or your kingdom’s reputation. 

So you have no idea why your arms are around Soonyoung’s neck and why you’re kissing him in front of everyone.

The music’s stopped, and he’s kissing back, and maybe they’re still playing you just can’t hear them over the heartbeat in your ears. 

You keep your eyes closed, so you can’t see the smiles on your and the prince’s fathers’ faces. But you hear the buzz around you and feel Soonyoung smile into the kiss and so you smile too.

Your friends were right. You should’ve realized, but having the prince confess makes up for the lost time, as does the feeling of his lips on yours, his hands around your waist pulling you so close to him. And perhaps, just perhaps, you like that everyone knows he’s yours and you’re his and that it’s not just for the show.

[alelathedragon]

Mr.Puzzles Ramble part 4009488383839393848

I added links to my other rambles if yo interested but all in all.....

Chat

GET EM

[1]

[2]

[3]

I wanna talk about 2 episodes in particular for this ramble:

Mario loses his moustache & Mr.Puzzles lowest point

It is my humble opinion that this dude still does NOT know what the fuck a MEME is- cus look at his actions in each episode. In the first one he studies Mario intensely because this is the one who has been ruining his plans the most with his bullshit and FUNNY.

Mr.Puzzles is after the power of being funny but still finds memes disgusting/horrible, when he makes Pedro his intensions are to film the creature hoping to steal SMG4's fame in a SMG3 LIKE manor, instead of stealing the videos hes just stealing assets of an actor. Yes; he does say MEME OFF but im convinced this man has no fucking clue what he's talking about and thats made more apparent in the next episode where he's going through content creator depression.

When the children turn on their Brainrot Skibbity Toilet he rightfully finds it to be the most insulting thing to ever grace his face and wants it gone, but then he realizes; hey wait a minute ... If I do this, I can traffic people to follow me, make money, make the content I love and BAM!! I'll be popular!!!

However.... He gets in his own way, when the "fame" of a billion children liking his youtube channel hits, it gets to his head immediately and he gets distracted from what he really wanted to do! He doesn't wanna make this shit, he wants to make his art!!! He doesn't understand WTF he's made other than an abomination

Like this man is genuinely confused as to why people have not gone from his shitty youtube channel over to his REAL content on the TV bc he forgot the part where he's supposed to stop the youtube and make stuff he likes again. Too 1 track minded

Even to the SMG4 crew its not funny bc it is NOT a meme! Mr.Puzzles doesn't know how to do that.

He came into the convention wanting to talk about his interests, inspirations, how he wrote his screen plays... Alas the crowd was children who didn't give a flying fuck about his craft and this pissed him off. Like: WHAT DO U MEAN U DIDNT LOOK AT MY TV SHOWS AND ONLY WATCH THIS STUFF IM NOT PROUD OF!?!?

& funnily enough

That leads into another point where this guy gives up so fast on things. Like in the cannon he SAYS he's given up on TV but that's a lie, he's going to keep doing entertainment.

What I mean by him giving up easily is:

He is a pathetic little meow meow folks. Hes one of those villains that THRIVES off a evil plan but when he's caught. He puts up his hands and runs, or throws things at his enemies.

Like in WOTF, in the song all boyo does: is throw shit because he DOES NOT know how to defend himself bro lololol. He has the power of his imagination but this isnt his head or his rules so he cant just- imagine a kung fu master as himself and fight back: his natural defences are to

Run/ Hide/ Throw things/ Bat things away/ Retract/ Panic

So when a plan fails. That plan is practically gone until he can think of a new way to use it

Like i doubt we're going to see Mario losing his moustache for a long time, i think we're going to see it again!!! But not soon. Mr.Puzzles needs time to cook that thought in the back of his mind of if it's even worth trying again or not.

He coulda given up on that thought all together but we wont know til we see!!

And he gave up on the youtube too! Because he was disappointed in himself and bro really just; could not bear to use that money anymore. He looked at that cash and could only relate it to his cringe youtube channel that he didnt want to associate with anymore. The original plan to use the money to make the content he wants: ⚰️

"I can't just use the money to make the content i want now! Im ruined! They just see me as a kids play toy now and this cash is NOTHING!!"

He forgot the plan, thus it got ruined by his own hand, and sense it was no longer completable in the way he originally intended it to go- it was impossible to complete.

He's so silly. I love him so much

[ilikereadingactually]

Alien Clay

Alien Clay by Adrian Tchaikovsky

WOW WOW WOW. WOW. it's been a while since i've encountered a book as surprising as this one. not in a one-big-shock kind of way, but rather a pleasant slow creep of "are we really going there? oh my god, we are." key features of my delight include absolutely perfect use of "unreliable" limited first person narration, and expertly wielded sections of non-chronological narrative.

i've realized that i tend to approach these casual reviews more like a reading journal and i usually don't give any plot synopsis, which is related to how i like to approach books—with enough sense of the vibe to know i might like it, but not much foreknowledge of what it's about. but i've been feeling like maybe it would be useful to other people to have a tiny bit of synopsis, as a treat. so:

the plot of this book in one sentence: a xenobiologist and academic political dissident is sentenced to a labor camp on an alien world, where he is sure to die, but he might get to study alien life forms first.

it's a fascinating read, and feels very prescient right now. the way Tchaikovsky presents the political orthodoxy of this future, and the strengths and weak points of resistance from a perspective inside it, is so striking! and it's all happening inside this quiet growing horror, the source of which slowly shifts and evolves over the course of the book. what a treat to read a novel so fully unified in its themes, on every level of the narrative and even in the structure!

i also have to yell a little about the narrator, Arton Daghdev. he is simultaneously charming and pathetic, wickedly sharp and foolishly soft. his observations and assessments of himself and the people around him, of academia, of oppression and the oppressors, of the alien surroundings, are all so delightful to me and remind me favorably and unfavorably of many academics i know.

a complete stunner of a book, and my takeaway is that i should have been reading Tchaikovsky's books before now, and i will definitely be requesting some from my library.

the deets

how i read it: another e-galley from NetGalley! so close to digging out from the fall backlog i got stuck in!

try this if you: revel in ambiguous morality, have ever experienced academia, dig stories about resisting fascism, love to see a classic alien planet scenario turned on its head, or were into Scavengers Reign.

some lines i really liked: not kidding, i took 17 screencaps of possible inclusions for this section and whittled it down to a few examples of Tchaikovsky's funny and startling prose and incredibly sharp arguments.

Then we start grappling, slinging ourselves back and forth as the rest of the Labour jeer and cheer. He tries to ram a knee right into my academic credentials and I try to yank a fistful of that wiry beard out.

---

Primatt doesn't even look at me. If I'm a personnel file, it's one she hasn't opened. She makes her face into standard-expression-when-confronted-with-authority number seventeen: willingness to be enlightened.

---

And on such hills I die. That doubtless sounds stupid, to you who tell yourself you will take up arms when they starve your children, when they rob you of your goods, when they come for that demographic which includes you. But it's deviation from the truth that lets them do these things. It's the lies, at all levels, which mean when they come for you and yours, the others won't lift a finger, because they've believed the lies spread about you. It is the lies that starve your children because you believe the stories about general shortages, even though the grandees of the Mandate feast off gold plates every day of the year. And it is lies about science which cut most deeply, telling you that this or that group of people are naturally inferior, or another group has an innate ability to lead. That there is sufficient genetic distinction to make the call, when in actuality we share the vast bulk of our inheritance with mushrooms. Or else that, because of this kinship with mushrooms, our leaders are justified in keeping us in the dirt and feeding us shit.

---

He smiles thinly. I never saw so thin a smile. You could open your wrists with it.

---

"This could have been your crowning achievement," he tells me. "To contribute to solving the mystery. Instead of which you make it all about politics." Thus sayeth the politician when the scientist ventures an opinion.

pub date: September 17, 2024. GO READ THIS, IM NOT KIDDING AROUND HERE.

[amazingmsme]

so im unsure if you’ve read about the Trojan war and all of its epic poems (or just anything expanding on the odyssey, really) but ive been reading up on it a lot becaue its super interesting and also funny af, lol

i could ramble on and on about all the characters in the Iliad, but one thing I’d like to raise is this— Neoptelemus, Achilles’s son. Odysseus has to retrieve him from Skyros and then take him to the island of Lemnos to get Heracles’ bow back from Philoctetes, right? (also Odysseus was wrong for what he did to Phil lol but anyway)

And it’s stated extensively that Neo/Pyrrhus is just a teenager, so i give you the idea of perhaps a tickly situation between Ody and Neo either on the way to/from Lemnos or back at Troy in the army. Maybe Neo’s getting hazed because he’s the youngest in the army or because he’s nothing like his father (or perhaps exactly like his father?) maybe Odysseus takes him down a few pegs because of the cocky smug idiot Ody is. Maybe he just wants to cheer him up, because being forced into war as a meee boy can be a lot on your shoulders. I dunno, just some things i have in mind!

i have so much brainrot for the Iliad/the odyssey it’s insane, do NOT get me started on Telemachus and Peisistratus /silly

@aceofspades-doodles

I haven’t read the epic poems but I do want to! & all of that just makes me want to read it even more! Cause like, what did Ody do to that guy? 👀 & I love that lil scenario, I can totally see it playing out! Especially cause he has the dad instinct, so let him get some practice in with this poor kid!

[sodomit]

I don’t see how acknowledging right now that a lot of the “ai” marketed towards us are non sentient and dangerous. The hot chatbot is both theft and melting glaciers. Those robot doggies they post videos of doing cute tricks are police weapons designed to hurt people. We don’t have sentient or sapient ai. Treating llms and police brutality machines like they’re people is a mistake because they aren’t right now that’s pretty factual.

I don’t support anyone who supports chat bots becaus yeah they’re killing the planet currently and I’m an artist and writer. I had to take down a lot of my work because of targeted scraping. My friend had to basically quit doing commissions bc they dried up after “ai”. It’s not like people are competing with them it’s literally a plagiarism machine.

Chatbots eat peoples words and spit them out. Those funny human shaped robots aren’t being built to be people they’re being built to replace workers or beat the fuck out of workers. we don’t live in a science fiction novel quite yet when robots are an actual class or oppressed. I feel like getting mad at people showing vehemence towards literal police brutality machines and comparing it to actual bigotry is misguided. There’s as many scifinovels where robots are a tool of the oppressor as they are the oppressed for a reason if that’s our basis for forming arguments. And I mean like, there’s also real life.

I don’t think robot sentience is close enough or even relevant to where we should be policing our language on the tools people use to oppress us. And complaining that people don’t like the fancy stick they’re beaten with or the copy machine that steals their income and work and chance to live seems silly. right now in our current reality? Seems a terrible idea. In a reality where sentience is around the bend in fifty years or something? Also seems like a bad idea.

people aren’t mad at AI or robots because they’re different. They’re not some unfounded racism, or “oh the Mexicans are stealing the jobs” there mad because they’re literally oppressive tools. Literal tools. Chatgpt isn’t a person. It’s not sentient it doesn’t feel it’s a fancy printing press that scrambled its words before it prints them. I feel like calling bigotry against an actual problem is bad.

it’s really hurtful as a disabled and nonhuman person to use those things as a defense to use them also like for a reason. I don’t see how a worse search function is so vital as an accessibility tool when now disabled artists are seeing their only alternative money flow dry up. Sorry that “ai” is a buzzword, it is actually misused most ai aren’t really si they’re just learning language models. I feel bad those were misused and that other blog identifies with them but it is also kind of like being dogkin and then getting mad people are upset that a police dog was set on someone. Quite literally in one of those examples!

if you struggle making friends and are lonely, yeah me to. Not worth the literal gallons of water it takes to steal from fanfiction. You need it to answer your questions, congrats you’re using a misinformation machine that is often wrong and when it is right it just took from the search bar and you were lucky it didn’t scramble it andyou really really shouldn’t do that for your own safety. Seriously. You need it to create,you aren’t creating you’re stealing and you’re doing so in a terrible way.

You have absolutely no idea how AI generation works as a process, and I don't really have the energy to explain it to you right now, and you shoving police robots into this like it's the same thing is honestly pissing me off.

I'll answer in a more profound manner when I'm doing better, if nobody beats me to it.

[beifong-brainrot]

Beifong babies ask like you asked <3

I feel as if the person I’ve seen you least talk about is Huan. Do you have any thoughts on him, either in relation to Kuvira or his interest in art? I’m sorry I can’t be more specific rn, my brain is…very frazzled. as expected 😭

I actually have SO MANY thought about Huan, I just never had the time and place to file them away. I've always liked Huan, and thought he could've been an incredibly intriguing character with a lot of potential. I can confidently say he probably was concieved primarily as a gimmick character, a bit of a jab at 'edgy', modernist artists. However, Huan has a lot of potential as a character and an exploration of themes.

First of all, Huan is interesting becaus he is one of the few "pacifist" benders of the show. This is especially intriguing due to him coming from a family with such a prominent amount of bender fighters. I wonder if he ever felt pressured to be a fighter too, or if he feels inadequate due to following a different path.

I personally like to think that Su gently pushed Huan to be fighter too, when he was a child, due to her own upbringing, which I imagine had Toph valuing her daughters careying on her legacy. But Huan was too much of a tender and sensitive soul, and didn't like the idea of destroying or fighting. I like to think he spent a lot of time with Aiwei, who nurtured his individualism, talents and hobbies. I like to think Aiwei was the one to help convince Su to let Huan pursue his artistic interests.

Due to this, Huan and Aiwe were always pretty close when Huan was growing up. So I think Huan ended up absorbing some of the Red Lotus' teachings about individuality and freedom.

For some reason, I think Huan would be a good big brother to his younger siblings. He cares a lot for Opal, Wei and Wing even if he doesn't show it often. I think for most their lives he just kinda let them do their own thing and was pretty antisocial, until the shit with Kuvira happened. Huan was one of the only people to see how affected Opal and the twins were by the betrayals of Baatar Jr and Kuvira and the danger their family was put in. He also felt srather guilty when his little siblings were out there risking their lives while all he could do was evacuate.

This motivated Huan to step up as a big brother and try to 'defend' them from Suyin trying to 'fix' the family and Baatar and Kuvira.

I also like that he seems so good with kids and enjoys spending time with them. Its a sweet. And it seems like it makes sense that he would value Ikki's childish doodles, since children just playing with colours and shapes is a very pure form of creativity.

Huan's relationship with freedom of self expression and individuality is also domething that caught my attention, especially in relation to Kuvira's regime and especially his infamous "crushing my individuality" line.

Sure, this line is objectively really funny, and pretty memeable. But let's add some context that adds themes I'm 78% sure weren't intended.

I've spoken at length about how Kuvira draws heavily from the Soviet union. I've also probably mentioned how my high school had a focus on humanistics, particularly Polish literature, although what I'm about to discuss extends far beyond Poland. And one of the 'eras' of literature and art that stuck with me the most was the period of time when Poland was the Polish People's Republic, essentially under the thumb of the Soviets. For creativity, it meant what you might expect. Basically, a mandate on almost every piece of music, literature and visual arts to be essentially Soviet propaganda.

I, as you may guess, dislike the time period with a passion. But some of my favourite novels and works of art have come about as a response to the danger the Soviets posed to creativity. It's fascinating to see what creators chose to bend the knee and alter their works to go through rigorous censorship, and what creators chose to resist, often getting blacklisted if not worse.

Many wrote bleak, heartwtenching stories about the death of art in the Eastern Bloc and how it impacted society as a whole. The emptiness of the propagandised happiness, the false idols of theatre and movies, the cheapness of it all, the ridiculous censorship that often contradicted itself.

I think Huan, being an artist could've been a very good vessel for exploring these concepts and storylines, especially with how self expression and creativity is still often censored and attacked irl, most visibly by conservatives in the USA. [Damn I asked for asks on the Beifong babies and weilin to escape the shitshow across the pond yet here I am]

We are especially entering a new era of war on our rights to express ourselves as different groups begin to try to control and restrict how we create and consume content in the still relatively new medium that is the entire internet. This could be something poignat to have been touched on.

These may be concepts that would be difficult to explore in a show like tlok. But atla was able to allude to the concept of propaganda and Huan was the perfect vessel for a mini storyline like this. Exploring Huan's identity as an artist and creator would be a huge benefit to the show, judging by how many people in the fandom have their own creative inclinations and how tlok as a show encouraged us to follow in Korra's footsteps to push through diversity to achieve freedom and enlightenment. Why should self expression by seperate from that equation?

Anyway :/ those are my Huan thoughts which kinda poured out due to how much I've been stewing in them lol. Thanks for the ask I always love recieving them especially if they have something to do with the Beifong Babies. Today was a rough day and I appreciate the distraction and chance to ramble.

[sheaymin]

know your enemy fallacy unlocked in my brain so ive played 10hrs of datv after snapping & the review isnt looking good. ive limited spoilers to just one minor one but look at thyne own risk my honest review thus far---

this game is optimized worse than early access bg3, whole environments just dont load or even unload as i run around sometimes stuff not loading for minutes at a time. i have collected loot from chests locked away clearly from places im not meant to be because the damn wall never loaded sooooooooo

dragon age 2: the sequel right down to varric clearly telling the story like he's written it already. this is not a benefit for me, thats a big negative

the prologue is incredibly disappointing after inquisition's MASTER CLASS in how to begin a game. i could literally play by play moment by moment go into why the prologue of inquisition is one of gamings best openings but haha its funny rook beat up people in bar because bad ass teehee

actually the writing overall has taken a step backwards, most quests are uncreatively predictable & the dialogue is flat & lacks any sort of life. its giving MMO quests.

the combat is fun but it doesnt work half the time with the game forgetting the mouse buttons or number buttons exist ive died twice solely because i couldnt actually attack bc the game didnt register i was clicking my mouse or pressing hotkey 1

custom character gets reset at random & i have to reload the game several times for the game to spawn the correct edited character

i would love to care about neve but its hard to give a shit when her voice actress doesnt give a shit about delivering her lines. bellana's actress over acts and thats fine considering her character but these two have scenes together and its soooooooooooo embarrassing to see which actor cared and who wanted a paycheck

actually it feels like 70% of the various cast of npcs are just flatly reading the script & its violently immersion breaking not to mention the game treats the player, the protag, AND the npcs like they are stupid. rook parroting information to a character who parrots it back is not effective or good writing thats just repeating the same words several times so the player doesnt forget, addled by this happens in scenes back to back multiple times about any major plot point which wastes time & paints me, the player, as too stupid to pay attention when i was told the first time

$80 for 40hrs of main story. youre joking. supposedly theres 60-80 overall if you 100% it but the main story can be beat in 40 flat. for eighty goddamn dollars.

so far this has been a mid tier triple a game with dragon age packaging, it took about 4hrs before i actually felt like i was playing a dragon age game vs a copycat styled game. over the shoulder camera sucks im so over this goddamn pov. it plays, looks, & feels like a sony ip in a bad way. god of war last of us resident evil ass controls camera and gameplay.

its jank, the animations glitch & ragdolling just happens, hair textures muck up, again my enVIORNENTS DISAPPEAR. despite running on ultra bc my rig can handle it the textures & some of the models are plain ps3 looking, not nice at all not a loading issue they are just poor assets.

corridor simulator. i sure love that we finally broke free of the curse origins put on da2 where we had repeat maps long hallways & got to never explore bc dai was more open world & while some of the maps were too big we have regressed to going in a straight line, limited exploration, & each widdle level gives you a chest as a pat on the head because we are playing a very pretty platformer :)c $80

why do i have health pots in boss battles, is this a zelda

companion ai is nonexistent & the tab to open the spell / ability menu to tell my companions to do their job is clunky & invasive & in previous games companion ai let the party fend for themselves just fine why does harding have to be told to heal me when any mage in origins 2 or inquisi just already knew because low health trigger

rook is just hawke again. 3 options for dialogue red purple green dont fix it if its not broke i guess but the inquisitor had more options AND the warden had tons of dialogue choices to really flesh out a character. multiple origins are nice but whats the point of these elaborate backgrounds that are constantly mentioned by both rook & npcs if i didnt get to see or play these events. it feels like im playing someone elses character or that rook isnt a player protag its just the character you play vs one you create

f to jump, not spacebar ???? thats not how video games work bioware even you know this because spacebar to jump is the default in inquisition you absolute morons

if you survived this far heres some positives, the first being that i heavily enjoy the legacy characters popping up to support various factions maevaris tilani the bad bitch that you are i gasped when she walked into frame & i could recognize her INSTANTLY which dai failed to do with its legacy cameos like teagan fiona hell even loghain and alistair are uhhhhh not great so im glad we took greater care in making these characters more identifiable

sorry, lucanis hot. im a stupid bitch who likes the crows leave me alone.

it is pretty, i will give it that its a pretty game. the artstyle is a hit or miss tho

i like when rook smiles its the same smile animation the inquisitor had in dai its very cute

transmog is cool ig

u can call solas an asshole within the first hour of the game and that makes up for negative number six bc its my review and i make the rules

im not having fun. like honestly im not. this game is disappointing but im at this point willing to finish the main story at least to get the lore and closure i want from this franchise. this game is this odd thing that doesnt fit in the series & is vastly different from its predecessors in what i see is a detriment. gaider and weeks are VERY different directors and have split this franchise in two for better or worse. while i love dai its not perfect and started the stray away from the formula leading into scary new territory but at least it felt like dragon age. veilguard just feels generic and boring as any EA or ubisoft title out there it feels like a product im aware im playing a product instead of a game. that hurts the most honestly

[stitchthesewords]

hello

Or grian coming back from dl and he needs not only a cane but hes suffering from a bad-but-temporary case of tinnitus and cant get out of bed and no one sees him for a few days until scar comes over to talk bc holy shit dl and finds Grian in need of help

EXPAND UPON THIS. I AM INTRIGUED. if u want no pressure <3

-catmaidetho

WHEEZING WHATS SO FUNNY IS THAT I HAVE BEEN. STARING AT A WORD DOC ALL DAY TRYING TO <- Girl who is so dead from her job

To start w what the delightful @hitheeprithee said to me earlier that made me. Absolutely fucking insane. But Scar gifting one of his canes to Grian in the post-DL return to HC because he's having trouble with both just walking bc of the aches in his body and the dizzyness caused by the disorientation of being shouted apart. And grian tries, really, to be appreciative, but scar's cane doesnt sit at the right height and he's awkward with it so he just stays in bed and then a few days later Scar sheepishly shows up with a custom made cane for Grian that's the right height and has feathers carved into it and just. hhhh.

But its like. Grian having to learn to rely on others. And I mean this in like the. I am physically disabled and im still learinng. You are always learning how to do this. Every day is a new day for failures and learning in this task. And its grian who doesnt want to get out of bed, who's never felt his body be in such constant misery, not even after third life or last life. He went out - bad. I don't have the brain power to elaborate rn maybe I'll reblog this tomorrow but tldr: I headcanon that the deaths in the life series and way different to deaths on hermitcraft. They're permanently debilitating in some way, but the players keep coming back because they learn to cope, they hold tight to the love for each other that radiates through every time they go through it - anyway. This warden death hurts - and Scar is feeling it too, but not as bad, not as Severely, and furthermore he has coping skills in place already for chronic pains and aches and fatigue. Grian doesn't.

It's Scar showing up and adjusting Grian's pillows to help him sit up, nursing him to health with some food and water, an ice pack, a heating pad, some potions from Cub to help with the pains, to help manage. Its Scar teaching Grian to use a cane, to trust his weight to this inanimate object, to learn to use it as an extension of himself. Helping him learn the walking pattern. It's Scar opening up the bedroom window or whatever the fuck the equivalent is in Grian's base to help get some white noise and teaching Grian to focus on it to make the worst of the ringing go away, to massage the muscles in his head to help with the headaches and migraines.

Scar teaching Grian how to pull his weight up with other people, how to get up from the floor with his back hurts so much he can barely move, to shuffle around the room a little bit just to get the blood flowing in his legs.

And then its like. It's Grian leaning his head against Scar's chest and crying from frustration because his body wont cooperate and he's never had to deal with it before and he doesn't know how. And grian apologizing because he's just complaining about things scar lives with always. And Scar soothing Grian's worries and anxieties becaue he knows why grian's frustrated and its not guaranteed to help but by god he'll try, he'll try so hard to give grian the world back if he can.

god I wish i could elaborate more but. I am sleepy.

[sillysanddweller]

giuys

if i make a poast its becaus i want ppl to see my funny. you can reblog it its okay i promise. shhh its okay. you can reblog it. the post wants to be reblogged

[stacksattack]

how would you define bi-gay in your experience?? asking bc it might be something im interested in as far as defining myself but idk bc i havent seen many ppl actually talk abt their experience and how it feels bc theyre usually just having to deal with assholes who are freaking out over someones identity that has literally nothing to do w them,, srry if youve answered smthn like this b4 btw

i havent gotten an ask abt it before its fine ^_^ i will say though that labels like mine can mean wildly different things between people and my reasonings for labeling myself this way . there is a LOT of variety within "mspec gay" communities as people have dubbed them and my experience may be completely different from someone else's. as someone who also went thru the same struggle of not knowing if it fit my only advice is to try it and see how you feel, because thats how i got here and i just in general hold the belief that if youre thinking abt a label theres probably a good reason behind it, even if you dont end up sticking with it in the end

anyways im putting my ramble under tha cut becaus it might be long. i like talking. yayy frolic

if something here does not make sense please be nice i am just generally Not very good at speaking, especially when it comes to explaining shit like feelings on stuff, and also i have a headache

my label as a bi gay man specifically stems from the fact that the way i experience attraction to men feels distinctly different from the way i experience attraction to women, but also not distinct enough to define it in a more concrete way like aesthetic or romantic attraction (the latter of which i do not experience). it's a very weird feeling and something i just kind of know rather than something i can explain. its also partially that i dont experience attraction towards those groups in equal amounts, and that feels significant enough for me to not feel completely comfortable calling myself only bi, because i feel as though that frames my attraction to both groups as the same amount, i guess? and that also ties back to feeling as though the way i experience attraction to those two groups is different

i briefly considered calling myself both gay and straight because i think its extremely funny (shoutout to people who do that. you're so real) but i like the label of bi more. i couldnt really give a reason for this other than it just feels more accurate

im still figuring out this specific aspect of my identity and how exactly things feel "different" outside of a weird nebulous feeling of them being different for no apparent reason but for right now this is what i've settled on calling myself and its helped a lot. but again a lot of people will have many different experiences with these sorts of labels